The proliferation of convenience stores has occured throughout the world. In addition to vending usual grocery items including beverages, such stores now sell fast foods including specialty foods stacked on flat food trays.
In order to satisfy health codes, the trays are usually provided with separate food covers. One such design I am familiar with uses two domes hinged together by a metal piano hinge across their tops.
The design has several drawbacks. In its full open (per dome) position, the moved dome rests atop the other stationary dome. Thus food of the first section of tray is exposed to germs. Such germs might result from air being expelled from the customer's mouth say by a sneeze or be from dirt or the like falling from his hands, clothes or the like.
In attaining the open position, the moving dome is pivoted by the user. But if the food is hot, both the customer and clerk's arms could be exposed to heat. Also the domes must be operated in sequence since the stationary dome is the anchor for movement of the other.
Additional, the piano hinge is attached by rivets or the like. Hence once assembled, disassembly of the cover for whatever purpose and re-assembly, is difficult.
While the prior art is replete with food covers, I am unaware of any design having the following advantages, in combination:
(i) that can be assembled from separate molded plastic elements at the use location without tools;
(ii) after assembly at the use location, that can provide protection of food both in a full closed position and in a quasi-open sneeze guard position,
(iii) that yet still can provide easy and safe release of a portion of the cover as when the user needs to replenish the tray.
In this regard, I have reviewed U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,080,551; 2,770,389 and 4,723,693 which show split lid designs for ice chests, frying pans, shakers and the like. These covers have open positions that either are overcenter from any vertical plane through the hinge, or that vary as a function of thickness and type of plastic used to form the hinge. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,745,548; 3,015,405; 4,005,798; 4,773,555 and RE 32,745 are likewise distinguishable in that for the most part, overcenter open positions attained by mechanical linkages are taught. An exception is U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,798 where the user physically lifts the cover from the pan and uses a slotted metal block attached to the side of the cover to position the cover in an almost vertical position. There is obviously no swingable hinge or motion guides of any type to aid the user.